Volkswagen recalls over 177,000 SUVs in US over fire risk
What's the story
Volkswagen has announced a recall of 177,493 units of the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs in the US.
The recall affects vehicles from the 2024 and 2025 model years.
The issue stems from a plastic engine cover that might come into contact with hot areas on the engine, leading to potential melting and fire hazards.
Issue
What was the problem?
The problem has been detailed in recall documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
According to the documents, the engine covers may shift position after service work, but they do not explain how or why this happens.
The issue appears to stem from improper reinstallation of these plastic covers post-service.
Fire hazard
Potential fire risk from improperly installed cover
The NHTSA documents state, "If the engine cover is not installed properly after vehicle service, the engine cover may come loose and come into contact with extremely hot surfaces in the engine compartment."
This could lead to melting of the cover material.
Melted material that may come in contact with very hot surfaces (such as the exhaust turbocharger) might lead to a fire in the engine compartment.
Incidents
Several fires linked to engine cover issue
Volkswagen has confirmed a number of fires associated with the engine cover problem.
The first "potentially relevant" fire was reported in October 2023, with no apparent cause determined.
Over the following 13 months, three engine fires were confirmed to have been caused as a result of improperly installed engine covers.
An investigation into these cases prompted the decision for this recall.
Fix
Volkswagen's solution: Removing the engine cover
Volkswagen's proposed solution to the problem is as simple as removing the engine cover. A Volkswagen spokesperson told Motor1 that at some point in the future, a service bulletin will "invite the customers back in to install a new underhood engine cover."